Vice Chancellor

Raymond P. Taffora was appointed Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs in September of 2013. In this role, Mr. Taffora serves as the general counsel of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is a member of the Executive Committee and supervises the Office of Legal Affairs and the Office of Compliance. Mr. Taffora has previously served as Deputy Attorney General in the Wisconsin Department of Justice (2007-2011), Chief Legal Counsel to the Governor of Wisconsin (1987-1991) and as an attorney in the private practice of law for over 18 years. Mr. Taffora earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983 and his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1986.

Associate Vice Chancellor

Nancy Lynch joined the Office of Legal Affairs in 1997 and presently serves as Associate Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs. In addition to managing aspects of the office, she provides advice and counsel primarily in the areas of copyright; information technology and data security; contracts; federal lobbying; and student life issues including discipline, governance, diversity, segregated fees, and registered student organizations. Nancy serves as a member of the Chiefs of Staff briefing group, the Threat Assessment and Response Team, the Chancellor’s Alcohol Policy Group, and the Chief Information Officer’s Administrative Leadership Team to review reports of data security incidents. Prior to her role at the University, Nancy was an attorney at the Chicago firm Lord, Bissell and Brook (now Locke Lord LLP). She earned a B.A. with distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991 and graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she served as co-Symposium Editor of the Law Review.

Attorneys

Sierra Beckles Young is University Legal Counsel. She joined the office in 2011 and her primary practice areas are employment law; health law; and student life issues such as discipline, discrimination and diversity. Sierra represents the University in proceedings before administrative bodies such as the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division. Sierra also advises the University’s student misconduct hearing committees. In addition, she has served on various diversity-focused committees across campus. Prior to joining the University, Sierra worked as a law clerk for the Office of Legal Affairs, the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission and the National Labor Relations Board. Sierra holds a B.A. from Marquette University and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she was a member of the Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender and Society, and the Moot Court Board.

Claire Dalle Molle is University Legal Counsel. Her legal specialties include employment law, criminal law and public records law. In her role as University Legal Counsel, Claire assists University employers by advising them on employment and labor law issues and reviewing and developing human resources policies.She represents the University in proceedings before administrative bodies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division.Claire also advises the University records custodian and consults on various University records issues. Prior to joining the Office of Legal Affairs team, Claire worked for the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families and the Office of the State Public Defender. Claire holds a B.A. from UW-Madison in Political Science and Spanish and graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she was a member of the University Moot Court Board and a writer for the University of Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender and Society.

Brigid Daly is University Legal Counsel. Her primary practice areas include copyright, public records, conflicts of interest, research compliance, and sponsored grant issues. She serves as a consultant to the All Campus Animal Planning and Advisory Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Chemical Safety Committee, and Conflict of Interest Committee. Brigid graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School where she was an editor on the Wisconsin Law Review, and the Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender & Society. She received an Honors B.A. in English and Spanish Literature from Marquette University.

Tricia Kvitrud is University Legal Counsel. Her practice focuses primarily on health law. In this role, Tricia advises physicians employed by the School of Medicine and Public Health and other members of the University’s health sciences schools on matters including: patient care and risk management, regulatory compliance, practice regulation and licensing, health care information privacy and security, risk management, and corporate and structural requirements related to health care entities. Tricia began her career at the law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP, where her practice focused on labor and employment law and later served as in-house counsel to a large integrated health system. She graduated with distinction from the University of Wisconsin School of Business and cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School where she served as an editor of the Minnesota Law Review.

Ben Griffiths is Senior University Legal Counsel. He provides legal advice in the areas of sponsored research contracting, policy and compliance, export control, and transactional matters. He serves on a variety of University committees, including the Research Policy Advisory Committee, the Biosecurity Task Force, the Radiation Safety Committee, and the Office of Industrial Partnerships Advisory Board. Prior to joining the Office of Legal Affairs in 1993, Ben served as legal counsel to a small business and worked at a public interest law firm. Ben has a B.A. in Political Science from Miami University (Ohio), and a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Rachel Jeris is Senior University Legal Counsel. Her primary areas of practice are employment law, political activity, student misconduct and privacy, and legal issues related to campus programs for children and youth. Rachel represents the University in proceedings before administrative bodies, including the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, and the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division. She also provides counsel to physicians employed by the School of Medicine and Public Health and advises student academic and non-academic misconduct hearing committees. Prior to joining OLA in 2011, Rachel clerked for the Honorable Karen Nelson Moore, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and spent several years in private practice representing colleges and universities in litigation and counseling matters. Rachel graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 2000, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2003, where she was a member of the Illinois Law Review and selected for the Order of the Coif.

Kerry Moskol is University Legal Counsel. Her practice focuses primarily on health law. In this role, Kerry advises physicians employed by the School of Medicine and Public Health and other members of the University's health sciences schools on matters including patient care and risk management, regulatory compliance, practice regulation and licensing, and health care information privacy and security. Prior to joining the OLA, Kerry was a partner at the law firm Quarles & Brady LLP and a member of the firm's health law group. Kerry graduated from the University of Virginia in 1997, where she was a member of the Women's Varsity Soccer Team. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2004.

Andrew Norman is Senior University Legal Counsel. His primary areas of practice include corporate and business matters, procurement, taxation, sponsored research and intellectual property. He is also the primary attorney for UW-Madison’s Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. His work at the University includes service to numerous committees and boards, including the PCI Compliance Team, Athletic Board, and the Office of Industrial Partnership Advisory Board. Before joining the University in 2010, Andrew was an attorney at the law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP, where his practice focused on business and intellectual property litigation. He graduated with distinction from the University of Wisconsin School of Business and magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Andrew lives in Middleton with his wife and daughter.

Brian Vaughan is Senior University Legal Counsel in the Office of Legal Affairs. Brian's employment practice includes employment relations matters; investigations; employee disability and leave issues; scientific misconduct investigations; administrative and other due process hearings; and general consultation services for clients at UW-Madison. Brian also provides advice regarding faculty and academic staff governance and procedures. In addition, he provides legal services throughout the University on issues involving trademarks, sponsorship agreements with external entities, and facilities use policies. Prior to joining the Office of Legal Affairs, Brian served as Deputy Attorney General in the California Office of the Attorney General in Los Angeles where he practiced employment defense litigation in the state and federal trial and appellate courts. He also represented state agencies in administrative hearings in both personnel matters and licensing actions. Brian began his legal career as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge A. Andrew Hauk in the Central District of California. He earned his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in Political Science. Brian is admitted to the bar in California and Wisconsin.

Lisa Wilson is Senior University Legal Counsel, and joined the office in 2003. Her primary areas of practice include human subjects research, stem cell research, research contracting, and research compliance. In this regard, she advises a number of research related committees, including the Health Sciences Institutional Review Boards (HS-IRBs), the Health Sciences Steering Committee, the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) Advisory Committee, the HRPP Quality and Compliance Operations Committee and its Advisory Committee, and the Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee. She also practices general health law, including advising in patient care matters, medical malpractice and risk management, and health care information privacy. Before joining the University, Lisa clerked for the Illinois Court of Appeals and the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, and worked in private practice. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1993, and graduated summa cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1999.

Staff

Caroline Marks is University Executive Staff Assistant, and joined the office in 2014. She serves as the primary assistant to the Vice Chancellor and Assistant Vice Chancellor. Before joining the University, Caroline worked as a Legal Assistant for a private law firm in Flagstaff, Arizona. She received a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995, and a Paralegal Certificate from the University of Washington-Seattle in 2010.

Linnea Morgan is Program Assistant Advanced Confidential and joined the office in 2016. She serves as assistant to the nine staff attorneys. Before joining the University, Linnea served as a Litigation Assistant at an insurance company in Madison Wisconsin. She received her A.A.S. in Business Management from Madison Area Technical College in 2016 and is currently enrolled to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management.